Bloom Turns To God
by SavvyBLove1
Summary: I do not own Winx Club.
1. Chapter 1 (07-27 21:51:32)

Who would have thought my life would have turned out to be like this? I used to be a girl who didn't even know God existed. And now I'm a devoted Christian. Here's my story...

One day during spring break, I had just finished doing some grocery shopping for Mike and Vanessa so Vanessa could make dinner for the three of us. I was so happy when I was finished because I was starving. I was so busy helping out in the shop that day that I never got time to eat much.

I piled the groceries into the car that Mike and Vanessa had bought me for my nineteenth birthday before driving down the road that lead to home. As I was driving, I realized that the traffic light had just turned red and I slowed down to a stop.

As I waited, I noticed a church on the side of the road. I read the Marquee:

"Gardenia Christian Church Come Worship The Lord With Us!"

The Lord? I thought. I've never heard of that before. At least not enough to remember it. Sounds interesting.

I turned my attention back to the traffic light. After a couple moments of waiting, the light turned green and I drove home. But I couldn't seem to get my mind off of that church.

At Dinner...

I piled some mashed potatoes onto plate followed by some gravy. I looked at my plate. I had a slice of meatloaf, obviously some mashed potatoes, some green beans and a glass of water.

"I sure am hungry," I said to Mike and Vanessa." I hope this fills me up."

Mike and Vanessa laughed. Even at twenty one, they still thought everything I said was absolutely adorable.

"We hope so too, darling," Mike said before everyone started eating.

I can't stop thinking about that church I saw today, I thought as I ate. Maybe I should tell Mike and Vanessa about it.

"Mom? Dad?" I asked. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Mike and Vanessa looked up from their plates.

"Of course, sweetie," Vanessa said with a smile as she put her hand on top of Mike's. "You can tell us anything."

I was glad to hear this.

"Well," I began. "When I was on my way home after grocery shopping, I saw a saw a church with a sign that said: 'Gardenia Christian Church. Come Worship The Lord With Us.'" Mike and Vanessa seemed to be very interested with what I was saying. "I haven't been able to take that church off of my mind my mind all day, so, I'm thinking of going. But I'm just not sure. What do you guys think I should do?"

"You know," Mike said. "It does sound pretty interesting."

"You think so?" I asked him.

Mike nodded. "Oh, yes. And maybe..."

"...we could come with you." Vanessa finished for him.

"Really?" I asked. They nodded. "Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad. I love you guys."

"We love you, too, Bloom." Vanessa smiled.

I smiled back. "This is going to be great."

That Night...

I did some research on "The Lord" later that night. Mike and Vanessa were already in bed, so I had to be quiet. The Lord is also called God, Father, Wonderful, and Everlasting Father. He has a son named Jesus. But God and Jesus are also the same person because Jesus was God sent to Earth in human form through a woman named Mary. The funny thing wasn't Mary was that while pregnant with Jesus, she was still a virgin. She didn't even have to have sex or anything.

As I closed my laptop, I grew even more excited for church. And since today was Friday, I wouldn't have to wait very long. I looked at my alarm clock. It read 11:30. It was getting late, but I couldn't sleep. I was just too excited! So I did a little more research. This time it was on something called prayer. There was something I found called the Lord's Prayer.

It went like this:

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, power, and the glory forever. Amen."

After reading the prayer, I finally decided to go to bed. I couldn't seem to go to sleep, though. That was when I remembered that a lot of Christians pray before they go to bed. So, I got out of my bed and took a knee. And for the first time in my life, I prayed the Lord's Prayer. I got back in bed and soon went to sleep. I guess praying was all I needed to do. I think I'm going to enjoy Christianity.


	2. Chapter 2

It felt like forever, but Sunday finally came! It was a good thing we had all set alarms. The church was about 10 minutes away from Mike and Vanessa's house, and we left at 9:15 and the service started at 9:30. So had we waited a few minutes later, we would have been late.

The sermon for that Sunday was about how people are always doubting God and how they think of themselves as God instead so they love how they want. I never knew that people were like that. You learn something knew every day. I thought the preacher was very good and a very powerful speaker. He made me excited for the next Sunday I could come once I graduated from Alfea. And thanks to my clumsiness, I got to meet him.

Everyone was heading out of the church building. Mike and Vanessa were getting the car ready so they could pull up near the front. There were a lot of people walking out all at once. It was so crowded that I ended up tripping. I would've fallen if...

"Whoa! I got you!" A man grabbed me and helped me steady myself before taking me aside.

"Thank you," I told the man.

"You're welcome," the man said before I finally looked at him.

It was the preacher, smiling at me. He was very handsome. He had ever so slightly shaggy but presentable blond hair, blue-green eyes, and a very charming smile. In a way, he reminded me of Sky. He looked a bit young to be a preacher.

"I haven't seen you come here before," the preacher said. "Are you visiting?"

"Yes," I told him. "Actually, this is my first time coming to church. Ever."

"Well, I'm glad you could come." The preacher looked as if he had just remembered something. "Oh! Uh..." He held out his hand. "Jack Dawson."

I took his hand and shook it. "Bloom Peters."

Jack smiled. "Nice to meet you, Bloom."

"You, too, Jack. I really enjoyed hearing you speak. Is it really true that some people think of themselves as God?"

Jack nodded. "Sadly, yes. They think that because they think that means they to do whatever they want and it can lead them down very dark paths."

"That's awful," I said.

My phone vibrated. It was a text from Vanessa.

We have the car pulled up out front. Come out when you're ready, darling.

-Vanessa

"Sorry, Jack," I apologized, "I have to go."

"That's all right," Jack told me.

"I guess I'll see you as soon as I graduate from college," I told him. "I won't be able to go to church before then." I began to walk away.

"Wait, Bloom?"

I turned around. "Yes?"

"Before you go..." He took out a slip of paper and a pen before he wrote something on it and handed it to me. "If you have any questions about anything having to do with God, just let me know."

I was starting to like Jack. He barely knew me and already he was being so nice to me.

"Thank you. Here." I gave Jack my number as well before I walked out of the church and got in the car.

"Hey, Sunshine," Mike said once I closed the door. "What kept you?"

I smiled. "Just making friends."

Mike chuckled. See? Everything is adorable to him. "I see."

"Well, we better get home, " Vanessa said. "Bloom needs to finish packing. She has to go back to Alfea tomorrow."

Traveling might be a bit complicated while I'm still in school, but at least this is my last year at Alfea. Sure, I planned to marry Sky once I graduated, but that didn't mean we would always be on Eraklyon. We could come here, too.

Jack's P.O.V.

I was sitting at my desk at home looking at some old photos and thinking of Bloom. She reminded me a lot of my wife, Joanna. Well... more like my almost wife. Something had happened on our wedding day and we were never married.

I pulled another stack of photos out of a drawer. On the very top was a picture of me and Joanna. We were sitting on a picnic blanket. She was on top of my lap and we were both laughing. It was the last picture we had ever taken together.

Before she died.

Joanna slowly opened the door to my office, her green eyes filled with tears. She had just come back from a doctor's appointment. She had a brain tumor and she had just gotten her results back.

I stood from my desk chair and walked over to her. "Hey, honey. How'd it go?"

"Not well," Joanna said. "Jack there's... no easy way to say this, but..." Joanna sighed. "I'm going to die soon."

My eyes went wide. "What?" I was shocked.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears now streaming down her face. "I tried."

"No, no, it's okay," I pulled her into a hug. "I know you did."

"You're not going to leave me now, are you?" Joanna asked fearfully.

"Of course not," I told her. "In fact, I have something I want to ask you."

I got down on one knee and grabbed Jo's hand.

"Joanna, I know you're dying. But I don't even care. I was going to ask you this no matter what you told me. I love you. You have been a true gift from God. You have made me so happy in the time I've known you. I don't know how much time you have left, but I want us to spend the rest of it together. I want to be with you every moment you have from now on." I pulled a small velvet box out of my pocket and opened it, revealing a ring."Joanna, will you marry me?"

I realized that we were both crying.

Joanna nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, yes, yes!"

I put the ring on her finger. When I stood up, we embraced each other in a loving hug. Neither of us wanted to let go.

Wedding Day...

The double doors opened and everyone stood to face Joanna walking down the aisle with her father. She looked beautiful. Her curly red hair was pulled back in a bun. She had a small amount of makeup on. She was never a big fan of it. Her dress was strapless as well as long and flowing at the bottom. I couldn't help but grin. In a few minutes, this beautiful, amazing women would be my wife. Seeing me smile, Joanna couldn't help but smile back.

"Joanna's quite a catch," Derek, the preacher and good friend of ours, said. "You're pretty lucky."

"You have no idea," I told him.

When Joanna and her father were a little over halfway down the aisle, she froze. Joanna dropped her bouquet and immediately collapsed. Her father knelt down beside her.

"Joanna!" I ran over to them. Joanna's eyes were closed and she wasn't moving.

Everyone started panicking.

I turned to Derek. "Call 911!" I turned to her father, Patrick. "Any idea what happened?"

"Not a clue," Patrick said. "But..."

"But what?"

"She did tell me she had bit of a headache a few minutes before they opened the doors. But, she said it wasn't anything major."

I looked down at her. "I guess she didn't want you to worry."

Patrick stood up to go comfort Carrie, Joanna's mom. I picked up Joanna and held her closely in my arms until the paramedics arrived.

At the Hospital...

I pulled up a chair and sat beside Joanna. She still hadn't woken up. She never would. She was in a sort of coma and in an hour, she would be dead.

I grabbed her hand. "I'm not going to leave you." I whispered. "I'm gonna be right here the whole time. I said I was going to spend the rest of your time with you and I meant it."

For the next hour, I sat by her bed, watching her, listening to the beat of the heart monitor.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beeeeeeeeeeep...

I looked at the monitor. Straight line. A team of doctors rushed in to revive her, but it was too late. She was gone.

And unmarried.

I rested my chin in my hand and noticed that my face was wet. I guess I had been crying while I thought about that fateful, tragic day. I put my pictures down and spun my desk chair around and to face my room.

I prayed for Joanna in Heaven. And I prayed for Bloom.


	3. Chapter 3

Bloom's P.O.V.

It wasn't long until I would graduate from Alfea college. Right now I was on Domino, having a celebratory dinner with Oritel, Miriam, and Daphne, who had finally been brought back thanks to me and the Winx. I really wanted to tell them about the church and Jack and everything else, but I was too scared. God wasn't known in the Magic Dimension. It was like Jack said. The people here think of themselves as God.

"So, Bloom," Miriam said. "Did anything fun happen over spring break with Mike and Vanessa?"

"Oh, yes," I replied." We... you guys aren't mad I didn't visit, are you?"

"Of course not," Miriam told me. "You enjoy spending time with them. That's all that matters."

"So, what did you do, little sister?" Daphne asked.

"Well," I began, "we did what families usually do. We went to the movies, worked in the shop, went out for ice cream...went to church..." I mumbled that last part, half hoping they wouldn't hear it.

"What was that last part, darling?" Miriam asked.

I took a deep breath. "We went to church together."

"We never do that here," Daphne said. "Was it nice?"

"Yeah, it was," I said. "In fact... I was wondering if you guys could come with me?"

Oritel laughed. I frowned at him. "Oh, you were serious?"

I nodded. "Yes, very."

"Look, Bloom," Oritel told me. "I don't know how things are on Earth, but here there is no God. We are our own God. Maybe you shouldn't go to this church."

"Well, maybe I want to," I snapped. "Did you ever think of that?"

Oritel slammed his fist on the table. "I will not let my daughter worship the Lord! I forbid it!"

I stood from my seat. "No, Father!" I yelled angrily. "Jesus is my savior and he saved me from my sins. I will worship him and I don't care what you say!"

Oritel stood as well. I could see the anger in his eyes. "Get out," he growled. I just stood there. "Get out!!"

Oritel grabbed me by the arm and didn't listen to a single protest from Miriam and Daphne. He pulled me through the corridors, down the stairs, and out of the castle. He opened the doors and threw me out. I landed sharply on my knees. The man who was no longer my father walked over to me and slapped me across the face before closing the doors.

I crawled over to the doors and leaned on them. I cried what seemed like an endless trail of tears. Eventually, I stopped crying and stood up. I walked away from my old home. I never looked back.

"I just can't believe he did that," I told Sky as we walked through the park. "All I did was stand up for myself and before I knew it, I was kicked out."

"What exactly did you say to make him so mad?" Sky asked me.

"I just told him that I was going to worship the Lord and I didn't care what he thought of it. Is that a crime?"

"Well, Bloom..." Sky nervously rubbed the back of his neck. A sure sign he was hiding something.

"What?"

"I kind of agree with Oritel. Here there isn't really a God. We are our own God. It sounds a little weird if you go to church to worship God when God is you."

"I can't believe you," I said to him.

"Look, Bloom, I'm sorry, but only a complete fool would believe in someone like God!" He snapped. "I don't want my fiancée to be a complete fool!"

"What fiancée?" I asked.

"What do you mean? You!"

I put my hands on my hips. "Really? Because it sounds like you don't want me to be your fiancée!"

"Not if you keep worshiping God!" Sky told me angrily.

"You know what, Sky?" I said bitterly. "Maybe you should leave."

"I will!" he shouted.

"And take this with you!" I screamed, throwing my engagement ring at him. "Diaspro would just love it!"

I ran off, tears streaming down my face. When Sky was out of sight, I sat down on a nearby park bench and held my head in my hands. In just one day, I had lost my mom, my dad, my sister, and my fiancé.

Why, God? I thought. Why is this happening?

Do not cry, my child. Have faith, and know that I am God. Be brave, my daughter, and continue to worship. For this is just the beginning of happiness.


	4. Chapter 4

"Princess Bloom Peters of Domino," Headmistress Faragonda spoke into the microphone.

It saddened me to hear that. I was no longer a princess. I was a simple commoner. I walked onto the stage and took my diploma, smiled for the audience, then walked off the stage.

After everyone else got their diplomas, Faragonda spoke into the microphone once more.

"Ladies, you may move your tassels." We did as told. Faragonda smiled. "Congratulations, girls. I now pronounce you graduates of the Alfea College for Fairies."

We all cheered and threw our caps in the air. The audience clapped and cheered. We picked up our caps and all the graduates ran to their families. Everyone hugged, laughed, smiled, and took pictures. I ran over to Mike and Vanessa and hugged them. Thanks to Faragonda, they were able to come despite the magic barrier.

"Congratulations, sweetheart," Mike said. He held me out at arms length. "Are you doing okay?" I had just told them about everything the night before.

I nodded. "Yeah, I am." I smiled. "You know what, Dad?"

"What?" Mike asked.

"God is good."

"All the time," Vanessa agreed.

Mike nodded. "And all the time..."

"God is good." I finished.

We all smiled and did one last group hug.

Sunday...

I saw Jack talking to my parents after church. They must have been telling him about what happened. I stepped outside and noticed how beautiful it looked outside. God had painted a pretty picture today.

"Bloom?" I heard a voice ask.

I turned around. "Oh, hey, Jack."

"Your parents just told me you got kicked out of your other home and that your fiancé broke up with you. All because of your wanting to worship?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, do you know what that means?" Jack asked me.

"No. What does it mean?"

"It means that God is trying to get you closer to Him. Sometimes He takes the people that are important to you out of your life so you are reminded to trust Him no matter what. He's going to use you for great things, Bloom. And the people that are no longer in your life won't be able to go where you're going next. God would be proud of you for standing up for your faith."

"Wow," I said. "You knew exactly what to say. No wonder you're so good at being a preacher."

"Thanks," Jack smiled. I retuned it. "So, how are you dealing with everything right now?"

"Fine, I guess," I said truthfully.

"Do you still have my number?" Jack asked me.

"I do."

"Great! I still have yours. How about tomorrow afternoon, you and I meet up? We can talk about things and get to know each other."

"Sounds great. This isn't like a date or anything is it?"

"Oh, no," Jack said. "Definitely not a date. I wouldn't want to do that to you."

We decided that we would have lunch in the park tomorrow. Jack insisted that he would bring everything.

"All you have to bring is that pretty smile of yours," he told me.

The Next Day...

Jack and I drove to the park and Jack set up our picnic on a hill. It was a beautiful day. It was fun to make all kinds of shapes out of the clouds. Jack and I both lied down on our backs and pointed out funny looking clouds after we ate. Then we started playing "See Who Can Spot The Funniest Looking Cloud In The Sky".

"So," Jack said eventually, "this fiancé of yours? What was his name?"

"His name was Sky," I told Jack. "We met when I was sixteen. He was a year older than me. After I graduated college, we planned to get married and start a family. But he's out of my life now, so that doesn't really matter to me anymore." I rolled onto my side and propped myself up on one elbow. "So, is there someone special in your life?"

"Well..."

Jack's P.O.V.

"So is there someone special in your life?" she asked me.

Oh, Joanna, I thought.

"Well..." I began. "There was one person."

"Really?" she asked, suddenly interested. "Who?"

"Her name was Joanna. She was my wife. Well, sort of. We were engaged, but never got married."

"What happened?"

"Joanna got a brain tumor shortly after we started dating. When she told me she was going to die, I proposed on the spot. I wanted to support her. On our wedding day, Joanna collapsed as she was walking down the aisle. By the time the paramedics got there, she wasn't doing so well. After about an hour in the hospital, Joanna died and we never got married."

Bloom's eyes were wide. She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, Jack, I-I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

I shrugged. "It's all right. You were just asking. I'm okay now. It was almost two years ago."

"How old were you?" Bloom asked curiously.

"Twenty," I told her. "I knew I was a little young to be married, but I wanted to help her. You know, you remind me of her a lot. In looks and in personality."

"Is that bad? Does that make you miss her more?"

"No, it's not bad at all. Besides, she's in a better place now."

Bloom's P.O.V.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said. "Gosh, I would have loved to meet her."

"I'm sure you would have gotten along just fine."

So, Jack reminds me of Sky, and I remind Jack of Joanna. Weird. I looked up at the clouds and saw one shaped like a heart. As Jack drove me home, I looked out the window and saw another one shaped like a ring. Jack and I had just become pretty close friends, but I felt like God was giving me a sign. But what was it?


	5. Chapter 5

I was in my room drawing a picture of Jack because I had been thinking about him a lot lately. I tried my best to get every little detail right. His hair part, his tiny dimples, everything.

I wonder if Jack has a place of his own, I thought. Then I laughed. Well, of course he has a place of his own. He's twenty two. Hang on... I'm almost twenty two and I still live with my parents. Well, my adoptive Earth parents. Maybe I should get a place of my own. That doesn't sound like such a bad idea.

I stood from my desk and went downstairs.

"Mom, Dad!" I called. "Where are you guys? I need to talk to you."

"We're in here, sweetheart!" Mike called from the living room.

When I walked into the living room, I saw that Mike was reading the paper and Vanessa was reading a book.

"What's going on, Bloom?" Mike asked.

"Is everything okay?" Vanessa wondered.

"Yeah," I told them, "everything's fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Go ahead," Mike told me.

"Well, as you both know, I just graduated from Alfea. And I'm turning twenty two in a few months. So, I was wondering if you guys think it's time I got my own place?"

Mike and Vanessa exchanged glances.

"You are old enough," Mike said. "And you're very responsible. We'll miss having you here, but we know you can't live with us forever."

"That's right," Vanessa agreed. "And you can visit any time you like."

"So, you're okay with this?" I asked.

"It sounds like a wonderful idea," Mike said.

"I won't live too far away," I told them. "Probably just a few miles from home."

"When do you want to start looking for a new house, Bloom?" Vanessa asked.

"Next week, I guess. So, I can have time to pack my things and buy everything I need."

Mike looked at Vanessa and smiled. "She's growing up, Vanessa. I feel so old."

Vanessa and I laughed.

"So do I, Mike," she said. "So do I."

"Packing is so frustrating!" I exclaimed.

My room had boxes everywhere and I still had things to pack. I already packed all my clothes, art utensils, bed sheets, books, medicines, and toiletries. But I still had to buy and pack so many other things in order to live on my own. Kitchen utensils, a TV, chairs, and so much more. I didn't have many boxes left. And I had so much to pack.

I stroked my chin in thought. "Hmm..."

With a flick of my wrist, I cast a spell on the boxes. There. Bigger on the inside. Now I could put everything in.

"How's the packing going?" Vanessa asked, leaning in my doorway.

"A bit complicated," I admitted. "But a little magic can make it a whole lot easier."

We finally found a house for me. It was the perfect size, so it wasn't too big or small. It was a white house with two stories and a little patio out back. The rooms in it were pretty nice. There was a living room, kitchen, a bathroom upstairs, a bathroom downstairs, and a few bedrooms. Maybe a little big for one person, but that was okay.

It was perfect. In three days, Mike, Vanessa, and I were going to drive there and help me move in. It was only ten minutes from their house. This whole thing seemed pretty crazy. I had lived in this house my whole life. And now I'm finally moving out. It was weird, but it was time.

"Visit us anytime you like, sweetheart," Mike said while hugging me. "You're always welcome to."

"I know," I responded. "And I will."

We let go of each other and I gave Vanessa a hug.

"See you in church," Vanessa said. "We'll save you a seat."

"Thanks, Mom."

Mike and Vanessa got in the car and waved goodbye. I waved back as I watched them drive away. Once they were out of sight, I slowly walked into the house. Mike and Vanessa helped me unpack all the boxes. I was starting to wish they hadn't. Unpacking would have given me something to do. Now I had nothing to do and nothing to get my mind off of how I was feeling. I heard the doorbell ring. Weird. I literally just moved in.

I opened the door. "Jack?"

"Surprised to see me?"

I shyly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "A little, yeah," I admitted. "I forgot I told you about my new house."

"I just thought I'd wish you luck with having your own house."

I smiled. "Thanks." Where the heck are my manners? Jack is the preacher at my church and my friend. Therefore, I have to let him in. "You want to come in?"

"Sure, thanks," Jack stepped inside. "Nice place."

Ten minutes after showing him around, Jack and I were sitting on my couch, talking about this and that.

Jack pointed to one of my paintings that was hanging above the fireplace. "Did you do that?"

We walked over to it. "Yeah, I did. When I was sixteen."

The painting was of a red haired girl walking on a beach. She was wearing a light blue dress that flew in the wind. The sun was setting beside her and the sky was several different colors. You couldn't see her face because the wind was blowing her hair everywhere which blocked any possible view of her face.

"I see you're an artist, too," Jack said.

"Too?" I repeated. "You like art?"

Jack shrugged. "Yeah."

"I'd love to see some of your work someday."

"How about you come over to my house sometime and I show you?"

"Great!"

Today was my twenty second birthday. But I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't think twenty two was that big of a deal. And the only thing I could do was visit Mike and Vanessa and spend time with them. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to. But I want to do something that was a bit more special. Maybe I could hang out with the Winx. I hadn't seen them since graduation.

I called Stella. She was busy preparing to become Queen of Solaria. I called Flora. She was busy helping out with the new Official Linphea Garden. I called Musa. She was busy recording her new album since she started a music career shortly after graduation. I called Tecna. She was busy inventing new techno gadgets for Zenith. I called Layla. Her situation was the same as Stella's. Everyone was busy. But seriously, they couldn't take just one day off? Oh well. I guess God had something else planned. But what?

The doorbell rang. That must be Jack. He's every other day. Not that I'm complaining. It's nice having him around.

I opened the door to see that I was right. "Hey, Jack."

"Hey Bloom," Jack handed me a small wrapped up package. "Happy birthday."

"Aw, Jack, you didn't have to get me anything."

"Maybe I didn't have to, but I wanted to."

I smiled gratefully and carefully tore off the wrapping paper. "A Bible?"

"Yeah," Jack said, "I thought you might need it."

"Well, thank you."

"So," he started, "do you have anything planned for today?"

"No, why?"

"Well, I was wondering if we could spend the day together. It is your birthday after all."

"I'd love to."

Jack and I didn't do much. We had dinner and a movie, but that was it. But that was okay. I was with him. Jack wanted to make a quick stop before taking me home. We stopped at a small white house.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"We're at my place," Jack replied. "You still want to see some of my art, don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

Jack showed me a few of his favorite pieces of art. A sketch of a rose in full bloom, a painting of a sea turtle among a group of fish, a sketch of a cross, and so on.

I saw a piece of paper fall out of one of the sketch books and onto the floor. I knelt down and picked it up. I examined the sketch for a few seconds. The paper was starting to go yellow. Just a bit. It wasn't finished, but I could make out that it was a woman. The only things drawn were her face, hair, arms, and the couch the woman was laying on. The only thing missing was the body. It didn't look like something from his imagination. It looked like a real person.

"Jack?" I stood and handed him the drawing. "Is this Joanna?"

Jack studied the picture. "Yes," he said, not taking his eyes off it. "I started it the day after she told me she was going to die. We decided to finish it after we got married so I could draw her wedding dress." A small smile crept onto his face. "You should have seen her when I was drawing her. She had so much fun being my little model. There were times she couldn't take it seriously, so, I had to tell her about a hundred times not to smile or laugh because the picture was supposed to be serious." He laughed a little. "There was never a dull moment when it came to her. She was always so fun to be around."

Now I understood why Jack was always coming over. He was lonely. He missed Joanna. I reminded him of Joanna.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she was. It's too bad you never got to finish this. It would have turned out amazing."

Jack finally looked at me. "You really think so?"

I smiled. "I do."

Jack put the sketch down.

"Jack?"

Jack traced the lines of Joanna's face with his index finger. "Yes?"

"Would you like to draw me?" I asked.

Jack looked up. "Draw you?"

"Well, it's just that you never got to finish your drawing of Joanna and I just thought since I look like her... then again, you probably wouldn't want to do something like that. I-I'm sure it would be a bit painful for you--"

"No, no, I'd love to," Jack said. "I want to."

Jack had me lay in the same pose Joanna was in on the couch. He'd look at me, then sketch, then make sure he hadn't messed up, then look at me again, and the cycle went on. I tried my best but to smile, talk or laugh when he started drawing my face. I didn't want to remind him of Joanna too much. I'd feel horrible for doing that.

"All done," Jack finally spoke up. "Want to see?"

"Of course," I got up and looked at the drawing over his shoulder. "It's amazing, Jack. Joanna would have loved it."

"I had a wonderful time, Jack," I said as Jack walked me to my front door.

"So did I," Jack replied. "I hope we can do this again."

"And you're sure you're not upset about drawing me?" I asked him.

Jack shook his head. "Nah, I enjoyed it. It was fun."

We made it to the door and stopped walking. I got my keys out of my purse and unlocked the door.

"Happy birthday, Bloom," Jack said one last time.

"Thank you, Jack," I kissed Jack's cheek. Jack smiled. "Good night." I stepped inside the house.

I don't think Jack was expecting that. Neither was I.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack and I were sitting on the patio at my house talking about stories from the Bible. He was telling me about stories that weren't very popular, but very important. We just finished taking about Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai.

"Just as Bezaleel served God by the work of his hands," Jack had read, "these three men served God by providing support for David, the man of God. King David was on the run from his son Absalom who was attempting to usurp the throne of Israel, and when he reached Mananaim, these men offered food, water, and a place to sleep to David and his men."

Jack closed my Bible.

"When we offer physical and financial support to others who are serving God," Jack told me, "we are taking a part in their ministry. God has called many people throughout the history of the Church to the mission fields, but if they had not had the support of faithful givers back home, they never would have been able to afford to go. Those who offered material support to them were answering a calling of their own."

(I got that off of /2010/08/11/10-lesser-known-heroes-of-the-bible-part-1/ so those words were not my own)

"Your God has done so much for you," I said. "I want to do something for Him."

Jack put my Bible down. "You do?"

I nodded. "Yeah. But, I have no idea what I could possibly do."

Jack stood. "I think I know something that you can do."

"What's that?" I asked.

Jack took my hand and helped me stand up. "Come on, we're going to the church."

"What for?"

Jack smiled. "You'll see."

We got in Jack's car and he drove us to the church.

"Wait right here," Jack said as he parked the car. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Jack got out of the car, unlocked the front door, and disappeared into the church.

As soon as he left, my phone vibrated with a text from Sky.

Bloom, we need to talk.

-Sky

I wasn't sure what to say. But after a few minutes, I finally responded with this:

Last I checked, we have nothing to talk about. There is nothing between us anymore, Sky. You can't expect me to come back to you after so many months of being broken up. It's time to move on. By the way, I will not be able to attend to the wedding of you and Diaspro.

-Bloom

Pleased with myself, I sent the text and put my phone back in my purse. I saw Jack come out of the church. He opened the driver side door.

"You ready?" he asked me.

"Yes," I got out of the car. "But I still don't know what we're doing."

"You'll see," He made me cover my eyes. "No peeking." he joked. He put his hands over my hands just to make sure.

As he lead me through the church, I was terrified that I would hit something or trip and fall. But he guided me to make sure I wouldn't do so. It's weird when you think about it, but my clumsiness was the reason we met because he caught me when I fell.

I felt Jack take his hands off of mine. "All right, open your eyes," he whispered in my ear.

I took my hands off my eyes and opened them. I gasped. The church baptistry!

"Are we doing what I think we are?" I asked.

"Yes, we are."

"Oh, Jack!" Excited, I hugged him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

We pulled apart.

"Don't thank me yet, Bloom. Thank me after this."

I nodded. "Right."

Jack took my hand and we walked down the three stairs that led into the frigid water.

"Bloom Peters, do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?"

"Yes."

"Then I, Jack Dawson, baptize you in the Name of the Father, the Name of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

I put both hands over my nose and plugged it. Jack put one hand on my back and the other over my hands. He gently lowered my body into the water. When Jack brought me back up, I was a new person. I was a daughter of Christ.

Smiling like crazy, I leapt into Jack's arms and gave him a great big hug. Jack and I were laughing with joy.

And then it happened. Not on the cheek, not on the nose, but on the lips. I kissed him. I kissed Jack.

I was shocked that I did, but even more shocked when Jack kissed me back. He put his hands on my cheeks. I put my hands on his shoulders. We kissed each other passionately and didn't break apart until we needed air.

We had just discovered feelings for each other that we never even knew we had.

"So," Jack spoke up, breaking the silence between us. We were on our way back to my house and we hadn't said a word since the kiss. "Are we... boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe. If you want to be." I looked at him with curiosity. "Do you want to be?"

Jack quickly glanced at me before he put his direction of gaze back on the road. "I'd like that very much." He smiled.

I smiled back. "Me, too."

Jack took one hand off the steering wheel and kissed my hand. I smiled and looked away, blushing like crazy.

Jack dropped me off at my house and I gave him a quick kiss goodbye.

"Thank you, Jack. I'm so glad you baptized me."

Once I got inside my house I started dancing around and singing to myself. "Jack is my boyfriend! Jack is my boyfriend!" It was kind of pathetic, actually. Especially since I'm an adult now.

I suddenly stopped. Was this why God planned for me to break up with Sky? So I could be with Jack and not have to hide my faith? Sky would never baptize me or tell me life's troubles were God's way of strengthening faith.

"What's going on here, God?" I asked aloud. "What's happening?"

2 Weeks Later...

Jack and I were in my living room watching a movie called Son of God to celebrate two weeks of my baptism and our dating. It was all about Jesus and his story. It was almost over.

A/N: If you haven't seen this movie it is amazing! Also, Iobviouslydon't own the movie.

John the Beloved had just been exiled to the island of Patmos. He was writing the book of Revelation and having flashbacks about his journey with Jesus.

"The people today," John said to Jesus at the campfire. "They called You King. They think You are the Messiah."

"Who do you think I am?" Jesus asked.

"You are the Son of God," Peter replied.

The flashback switched to when the twelve disciples were loading their boat to meet Jesus on the other side of the lake.

"What if He's not The One?" Thomas the Doubter questioned. "We're risking our lives for what?"

"He has shown us His power; we must have faith in Him," Mary Magdalene said.

Jesus just told everyone he was going to be crucified.

"Don't be afraid. Trust in God. Trust in Me, also. You know the way to where I'm going."

"We don't know where You're going,how can we know the way?" Thomas asked.

Jesus replied, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

The flashbacks ended and Jesus came to John.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega. The First and the Last. The Beginning and the End." Jesus smiled at John.

John began crying tears of joy and fell to his knees. "My Lord! I have been expecting death to come."

"There will be no more death. Or mourning. Or crying. Or pain. I am making everything new. Yes. I am coming soon. May the Grace of the Lord be with all God's people."

"Amen!" John cried.

The movie ended. I turned the TV off and put the DVD away. I sat next to Jack and he put his arm around me. We gave each other a quick kiss.

"So, what did you think of the movie?" Jack asked me.

"I loved it," I said. "It was amazing. And I really liked the--"

My words were interrupted by a knock at the door. I wasn't expecting anyone. I got up to answer the door.

"I'll be back," I said.

"I'll be here," Jack replied.

I opened the door to see...

"Sky?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Hi, Bloom."

"Wh-what are you doing here?" I was shocked.

"I came to see you, of course."

"Sky," I began. "I told you. It's time to move on--"

"Who's at the door Bloom?" I heard Jack's voice behind me. Then he saw Sky. I felt him put his arm around me. I couldn't look away from Sky.

"Who are you?" Sky asked. It was a little bit rude, to be honest.

"Jack, this is Sky my ex fiancé. Sky, this is Jack my..." I swallowed. Now or never. "...boyfriend."

Jack held out his hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you."

Sky didn't shake his hand. Instead, he completely ignored it. "Bloom, I need to talk you you."

"Okay," I said. "Talk."

"Privately."

I opened my mouth, about to tell Sky that whatever he had to say, he could say to both of us. But then I remembered that I hadn't told Jack anything about Magix or me being a fairy and Sky would probably mention it, so I asked Jack to wait inside while I talked to Sky. I stepped outside and closed the front door behind me. I saw Jack peeking at us through the living room curtains out of the corner of my eye. He was such a child.

"Everyone in the Magic Dimension misses you, Bloom. The Winx miss you, the Specialists miss you, Daphne and Miriam miss you, too."

I crossed my arms. "What about Oritel?"

Sky shrugged. "He never talks about it."

I wasn't surprised. Oritel wanted me out and he meant it.

"And there's something else I really need to tell you."

"And what's that?" I asked.

Sky sighed. "I want you back." I looked at the ground and said absolutely nothing. "Bloom, I am so sorry for leaving you. It wasn't right. You had just been kicked out of your home. You needed me and I really should've been there for--"

"Hang on," I said, interrupting him. "You said you were sorry for leaving. You said you were sorry for not being there for me. But you didn't say you were sorry for the real reason we broke up. Sky, you said I was a complete fool for wanting to worship! You didn't support me at all! I already told you that there's nothing between us anymore. This is my life now. I live in Gardenia, I worship God, I'm seeing someone else. Someone who supports my way of life. I'm not the same girl I was eight months ago."

"I can change, Bloom. I promise. We can start over. We'll go back to Magix. We'll get married. Start a family, even. We'll build a church on Eraklyon and make sure everyone goes. Everyone will know of this God and--"

"You're lying," I interrupted.

"What?"

I put my hands on my hips. "You're lying."

"You don't know that, Bloom."

"Actually, I do," I stepped forward. "I've known you for six years, Sky. I know everything about you. Your fears, your first crush... and when you're lying."

"Bloom, I swear I'm not lying to you. It's not like our relationship didn't mean anything to me. I really did love you."

"Sky, please just leave. This is just too much for me to handle. Starting this new life was hard, going back to my old life could be even harder. I need time to think."

Sky nodded. He turned around and began walking away. Then he stopped. "Oh, by the way," he said before turning around to face me again. "I'm staying at a hotel a few blocks from some place called the Frutti Music Bar. Room 207. Just thought you should know." He turned around and continued walking. "You're going to have to choose sooner or later, Bloom. And I'm not just talking about your lifestyle." Then he was gone.

I sighed and walked back inside.

Jack stood from his place on the couch. He must have moved there right before I walked in to make it seem like he wasn't watching. Jack walked over to me and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Hey," he said. "You okay?"

"...I don't know. I didn't expect this to happen. What am I supposed to do?"

"Do what you've been doing since day one: turn to God." Jack's phone went off. He pulled it out of his back pocket and opened his phone to read the text he got. "I have to go. Mr. and Mrs. Miller need to meet me at the hospital." He laughed. "Mr. Miller still thinks he's seventeen while his wife thinks he's a hundred and seventeen." He headed for the door.

"Maybe I could come with you?" I suggested. "I'm sure I can help somehow."

"That's okay, Bloom. I can do this on my own. I've done it plenty of times."

And with that, he was out the door.

I plopped my body onto the couch and sighed. I looked up. "Really?"


	8. Chapter 8

I paced in front of the door. Should I knock? Should I just come in? The door might be locked. Maybe he isn't even there. Maybe he's busy. Maybe I should come back later. Or never.

I was at Gardenia Central Hotel, pacing in front of room 207. I needed to talk things over with Sky. He had to get it through his head that I needed time. But I was too afraid to talk to him about it. I knew he wouldn't take it well.

I started to walk away, but something forced me to turn around and knock on the door. As if he was standing there the whole time, Sky opened the door right away.

"Bloom," he said. "I was wondering when you'd come up." He opened the door a little wider and stepped aside. "Come on in."

"Uh... thanks." I walked past him into the hotel room.

"So, have you made your decision?" Sky asked me.

I sighed. "Well, no." I could see that this upset him. "Look, I just need time to think about things, Sky. This isn't exactly easy for me. I think for now, until I've made my decision, we should just stay friends."

Sky shook his head. "I'm sorry, Bloom, I can't."

"You can't what?"

"Be friends with you."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it's too hard. Bloom, I'm still in love with you."

There was no sound. Nothing. Just complete silence. Without saying goodbye, I ran out of the hotel room.

"...and then he said he's still in love with me... and that he wants me to choose between the two of you."

"Wow..."

"So... what do you think I should do?" I asked.

Jack sighed. "Bloom, of course I don't want you to choose Sky, but not because I want you to choose me. But because of everything you've told me about him, even if I don't know everything about Sky. But I get that you two have a history together and I know you still care about him. Whatever you decide, I'll understand. I just want you to be happy."

I smiled. "Thank you, Jack. That means a lot to me."

I leaned forward to kiss him to show my appreciation. He kissed me back, but quickly recoiled. The look on his face worried me.

"Jack, what is it?"

"It's not right."

"What's not?"

"You have to choose between me and Sky. Until you choose, you want to be friends with Sky, but you didn't say anything like that to me."

"I don't understand."

"It's not fair that you're Sky's friend and my girlfriend. I think, until you decide, we should stay friends, too."

Okay, I'm not going lie, that hurt. "Well, at least I know how Sky felt."

Jack stood from the couch and picked up his jacket. "I'm sorry, Bloom. But it's for the best." He leaned down, gave me one last kiss on the cheek, and walked out the front door.

That Night...

I tossed and turned but I just couldn't sleep. I checked my phone.

2:49 A.M.

I opened my phone and went through my contacts. I selected the contact I wanted and pressed call. After three rings, the person on the other end picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Stella."

"Bloom, dawling!" Stella cried. "I haven't seen you since graduation! How are you?"

"Honestly, Stel, I'm not really sure," I admitted. A thought came to me. "Say, what time is it in Solaria?"

"Oh, about a quarter till three in the morning," Stella told me. "Why?"

"It's the same time here in Gardenia. I was hoping your time was different than mine so I wouldn't have woken you up."

"Don't worry yourself, Bloom. I was already awake having a scary movie marathon with Brandon."

I missed those. "Hey, Stella?"

"Yes, Bloom?"

"I need some help. How soon do you think you and the others can get to Gardenia?"

There was a short pause. "We'll be there shortly, dawling."

In the Morning...

The doorbell rang. I jumped off the couch and eagerly opened the door.

"Bloom!" the girls all said in unison before giving me a group hug.

"Hey girls! It's so good to see you." I let go of them and stepped aside. "Come on in. Make yourselves at home."

The girls all went inside and sat down at the couch and in the chairs. I closed the door behind me.

"So, Bloom," Stella said. "What did you want to talk to us about?"

I grabbed my book that had been sitting on the coffee table. The book had a brown leather cover and the title was written in golden capital letters.

"Well," I began. "This is a Bible. It's a book about many historical events that all led up to one big story..."


	9. Chapter 9

"...and that is why I asked you girls to come over," I concluded before sitting down. I sighed. "I'm really lost, Winx."

"Hey, cheer up, Bloom," Musa said while putting an arm around my shoulder. "We'll help you out."

"Yeah," Flora agreed. "And whatever your decision is, we'll fully support it. Even if we don't know Jack."

I smiled. "Thanks, girls. You're the best."

Stella spoke up. "I have an idea. Why don't we pray about this?"

"Great idea, Stella!" Tecna said.

"How does a group of people do it again, Bloom?" Layla asked.

"They form a circle and hold hands," I replied. "Then they bow their heads and close their eyes, and someone prays."

"Let's do it," Layla said.

We all did as I had told them. Stella volunteered to pray since even though the Winx know nothing about God and religion, she's the talkative one of the group and they didn't want me to pray for myself.

"God, please help our friend, Bloom. She needs you right now. She has a very important decision to make. She needs your guidance. It's not just a lover that she's choosing. It's her life. Please help her know which path and decision is the right one. Amen."

Then we all said, "Amen." followed by a group hug.

I smiled. "Thank you, girls. This means a lot to me."

1 Week Later...

So it's been one week and I still don't know who to choose. Once I thought I had my answer, I had second thoughts. Maybe that was only because of who I was talking to. The Winx girls were great to talk to, but they only knew Sky. They knew what I had told them about Jack, but they had never met him. Maybe I just needed to let it all out.

I took my phone out and texted Jack.

Can I ask you something about Joanna?

-Bloom

His reply was almost instant.

Anything.

-Jack

What was her last name? -Bloom

The reply took longer this time.

Korene, why?

-Jack

I hesitated.

No reason.

-Bloom

Shortly after that, I was wandering around Gardenia Cemetery in my sleeveless black dress. I passed so many graves. Peter Ames... Kayla Roberts... There it was.

Joanna Korene

Born: June 2, 1994

Died: May 27, 2013

Wow, Joanna was so young. Only a few days away from nineteen. Her death was three years ago today. When Jack first told me about Joanna, he said it was two years ago. It was kind of hard to believe I had already known Jack for a year. I took a knee in front of Joanna's grave.

"Hey there, Joanna," I said. "I know this is a bit weird. I don't know you, you don't know me, and I'm talking to a dead person who can't even talk back. No offense. So, I've been dating your fiancée. Okay, that sounded wrong. I'm dating the man who was your fiancée before you... you know, died. He has really helped me with becoming a Christian and a better person. He even baptized me." I looked down and smiled. "The night he baptized me was the night we became boyfriend and girlfriend." I looked back at Joanna's grave. Anyway, the man I used to be engaged to has come back into my life and he wants me to choose between him and Jack. But the thing is, if I choose the other person I feel like I would be throwing away my faith. I don't really want to go back to the life I used to live. I mean, I wasn't really a bad person or anything, but this is who I am now. But I've known the other one for a long time and we have a history. I had my first kiss with him and he was my first boyfriend that I actually loved. He helped me figure out who I was when I didn't have a clue. I love both of them so much. Choosing is so hard. One boy saved my life, while the other saved my soul." I took a deep breath. "You know, it's kind of nice to just talk about this and let it all out without worrying about anyone saying anything back. No one telling me who I should choose. Anyway, thanks for listening, Joanna. This really helped." I stood up. "Oh, and I, uh, I brought you a rose. Jack said they were your favorite flower. They're mine, too. I guess Jack was right. You and I really are a lot alike." I placed the blood red rose on top of Joanna's grave and walked out of the cemetery.

The next day, I called Sky and Jack asking them to come over to my house at three. I had finally made my decision. I was so nervous that I paced around the house for two hours. When I heard the doorbell ring, I sprinted to the door.

When I put my hand on the knob, I froze. This had to be the biggest decision I've ever made. It wasn't just a relationship. It was my life style. A normal girl worshiping the Lord and living life to the fullest or a princess reigning her long lost kingdom and her future husband's kingdom. Both sounded amazing. But one sounded a little bit better.

I finally opened the door.

"Hey, guys," I said, giving each of them a hug. "Thanks for coming."

I had them both sit on the couch.

"Before I say anything else, I just want you to know that I love you both. Just because I don't choose you, that doesn't mean I don't love you. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. This decision has been made with much care."

I took a deep breath.

Just tell them. I thought. Get it out.

"Okay, I choose..."


	10. Chapter 10

"Jack."

Sky looked glumly down at the floor, while Jack smiled. He stood up and hugged me.

"Thank you," he whispered.

I smiled. "You're welcome."

Sky stood from the couch and headed towards the door.

I let go of Jack. "Sky, wait." I quickly walked in front of the door and blocked him. "Look, I know you wanted me to choose you, but--"

"It's fine. Really, it's fine. I'm just gonna go." Sky walked past me and out of the house.

"Sky!" I called.

Sky turned around. "Bloom, really, it's fine. My parents were going to have me marry Diaspro if it didn't work out with us. So have a nice life with Jack." Then he was gone.

I sighed and closed the front door.

"Bloom," Jack said behind me, "I normally wouldn't say this but I'm really glad you chose me."

I smiled and turned around to face him. "Yeah, I am too--"

My jaw dropped. I covered my open mouth with my hand. When I turned around to face Jack, he was on one knee with a small red box in his hands with a ring inside, grinning like crazy.

I slowly walked over to him. "Jack..."

Jack took a deep breath. "Look, Bloom. I know it hasn't been long. And I know you and Sky ended your engagement recently. And you just made a really big decision about who wanted to be with. But so have I. And I... I love you, Bloom. As you know, these past few years haven't been easy for me. I've been very lonely. When I'm with you, I'm not lonely anymore. I'm happy. I've been very blessed to have you in my life. So... Bloom Peters... will you marry me?"

"Jack, I... yes!"

Jack's eyes were wide. "Yes?"

"Yes!" I repeated.

Jack stood up. "Yes!"

He picked me up and spun me around. When he set me down, I hugged him tightly. When we pulled apart, I saw tears running down Jack's face.

"I love you, Jack Dawson," I told him.

"And I love you..." Jack put the ring on my finger. "...Bloom Peters."

"No," I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Bloom Dawson."

He wrapped his around my waist. "Not yet."

"Soon."

He smiled. "Yes. Very soon." Then he leaned in and gave me a quick, gentle, loving kiss. I smiled and rested my head on his chest. He rested his chin on top of my head.

"You know," he said. "You still have to meet my family."

"Yeah, I guess I do." I looked up at him. "Do you think they'll like me?"

He looked hesitant. "Well... no." I looked down at the floor. "I think they're going to love you, Bloom." I looked back up at him and he was playfully smiling.

I smiled. "You think so?"

"I know so. I've loved you since the moment I first saw you."

I giggled. "Wow, I never thought my clumsiness would attract you."

"Actually, that wasn't the first time I had seen your face."

"Really?" We sat down on the couch. "Do tell."

"When I get on the stage to preach, I sometimes look around the audience to see if we have any visitors with us that Sunday. And that resulted in me seeing you. There were times when I just couldn't look away. You were beautiful. I wanted to meet you after church so I could see if your personality was just as beautiful as you are. And I was right."

After several hours of talking about, well, everything, Jack decided that it was probably time for him to leave.

"I should get going. It's getting late and tomorrow's Saturday. And I haven't exactly finished my sermon." He took my hand and kissed it. "See you around... Bloom Dawson."

He stood from the couch and walked out the door. I heard him start his car and drive off into the night. Once I knew he was gone, I screamed with joy.

Jack's P.O.V.

Once Bloom's house was out of sight, I started l laughing with joy. She said yes! I couldn't believe it!

"I'm getting married!" I said to myself, still laughing. "I'm finally getting married!"

 _"I'm proud of you, Jack,"_ a female voice said from the passenger seat.

I was confused. Someone was in the car? I looked over at the seat next to me. After I saw who it was, I slammed the brakes.

"J-Jo?"

Joanna was sitting there, in the passenger seat, wearing her wedding gown.

She smiled. _"Hey there."_

"How are you... how are you here? You're..."

 _"Dead? I know. I'm no here in the flesh, Jack."_

"So you're, like, an angel? Or a ghost? Or a figment of my imagination?"

Joanna shrugged. _"Something like that. Whichever you like best."_

"I like angel," I said, moving my hand towards her cheek. Little Angel was something I had often called her when we were dating. "Because you always were my Little Angel."When my hand came close enough to touch her cheek, it didn't touch. It didn't go through, but I didn't feel her. I drew my hand back.

 _"I'm sorry, Jack,"_ she said. _"I'm not real. You can't touch me."_

"I wish I could. Just once. One more time."

She looked down. _"I know. So do I. But that's not why I'm here. I'm to tell you that it's time for you to let me go."_

Let her go?

"I'm sorry I... I can't. I still love you, Joanna."

 _"You'll have to sooner or later. Because you're going to be married. Actually married. And you have to love your wife and only your wife."_ Then she disappeared.

I sighed and started driving again, unsure of what to do.


	11. Chapter 11

"Okay, Bloom," Jack said as he drove away from my house. "Let's see if you've got my family down."

"Let's see. There's your older sister Mary, who is twenty-four and got married a year ago and is six months pregnant; Ella, your little sister, who is eleven and likes to make fun of her older siblings for being in relationships because she isn't allowed to date until she's fifteen; Howard, who is forty-seven and he is your dad; and Jenny, who is forty-five and she is your mom."

"Excellent. And what's Mary's husband's name?"

"Eric Davis."

Jack laughed. "Wow, you've got it all down."

Today was the day I was going to meet Jack's family. Not his parents, his family. And I didn't show it, but I was really nervous. But I just made Jack think that I was excited because no matter what he said, I would remain nervous until I had actually met them.

Jack's parents were having a bonfire at their house and Jack asked if he could bring me along. They said I could come. I said yes, of course, when he had asked me because even though I was nervous, I was still excited. I kept trying to talk myself out of it whenever I got nervous. And whenever I got excited, I would talk myself back into it.

To calm myself down, I concentrated on the different colors the sky turned as the sun began to set. It was beautiful. There was a mix of orange and yellow around the setting sun. Around that were different shades of pink and purple. It was really pretty.

"We're here," Jack announced as he parked the car in his parents' driveway. Besides Jack's parents' car, there was another car there, Mary and Eric's car, which meant that everyone was there, so I would be meeting everyone at once.

 _Oh gosh,_ I thought. _I think I'm gonna puke._

Jack turned the car off and put his hand on top of mine. "You okay?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"I already told you, Bloom. They'll love you."

We got out of the car and walked to the front door. Jack knocked and his mom, Jenny, opened it. She was a pretty lady who was aging very well. She had hazel eyes and blonde hair up in a bun that was graying just a bit on the sides and front.

"Jack!" Jenny exclaimed as she gave him a hug. "It's good to see you. It's been so long."

"It's good to see you, too, Mom," Jack said as they pulled apart. "Sorry it's been so long. I've been a bit busy. Mom, this is my fiancée, Bloom."

"It's great to finally meet you," Jenny said while giving me a hug. "Jack wasn't kidding when he said you were pretty."

"Thank you." I looked at Jack and smirked. Jack blushed, embarrassed. Jenny and I pulled apart.

"Come on in," she said. "We'll be eating soon. After the sun sets, Howard is going to start the fire and we can all have our food."

We all went inside. Everyone was sitting in the living room.

"Jack is here!" Jenny announced.

Jack and I walked into the living room.

"Hey, everyone," Jack said while putting his arm around me. "I'd like you all to meet my fiancée, Bloom."

Everyone was really nice to me that it felt ridiculous to ever have been nervous in the first place.

Mary had brown hair, unlike Jack and Jenny. Howard had brown hair although it was starting to gray like Jenny's, so she got that from him. She had a kind smile that was so much like Jack's

Eric had bright blue eyes and black hair. He laughed often and was very gentle with Mary, and I'm sure it wasn't just because she was pregnant. He seemed like a gentle man.

Seeing those two so in love made me even more eager for mine and Jack's wedding. Seeing Mary's baby bump made me wonder what Jack thought about having kids.

Ella had blonde hair like her mother and Jack and she had blue eyes like Howard and again Jack. She was very mature, besides the times she'd joke about Mary and Jack being in relationships, and had a smile that lit up the room.

After eating dinner, we all went outside to sit around the fire that Howard made for us to toast marshmallows. We all got sticks and stuck marshmallows on them.

Jack and I ended up telling the story of how we met.

"And after church I said to myself, 'I have got to go talk to this girl!'" Jack said, telling his side of the story. "And I tried to find her, but it was so crowded. Then when I finally saw her, she was about to fall from having no room to move around. So I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out of the crowd. And then after introducing ourselves, we just sort of clicked."

I looked at the marshmallow on my stick, watching the flames absorb it. Then, before I could do anything, the marshmallow became extremely gooey and fell off of the stick.

"Aww!" I joked, pretending to be extremely disappointed and put my stick down.

"Don't worry, Bloom," Jack joked while putting his left arm around me and continued holding his stick with his right hand. "You can share with me."

"Oh, you're a life saver," I said sarcastically while putting my head on his shoulder. "What would I do without you?"

"I have no idea," Jack joked.

I put my left hand on the stick so it would feel more like sharing. I looked up at Jack. He looked down at me with that beautiful smile of his. I blushed and smiled back.

"Actually," Ella began while grabbing a bag of marshmallows, "we have plenty mo--"

Mary knocked the bag out of Ella's hands. "Can't you see that they're having a moment?" she whispered. "Don't interrupt!"

Ella raised her hands in defense. Don't mess with a pregnant woman. You'll face her wrath.

After everyone had their s'mores, Eric got his guitar out of the car and started playing a few songs for us.

"Do you, play, Bloom?" Ella asked me curiously.

"A little," I said. "I'm not that great." Musa had taught me back at Alfea.

"I'm sure you play beautifully," Jenny said.

"Bloom, is there a song that you'd like to sing?" Howard asked me.

"Well, there is one song that I've always liked."

Eric took off his guitar strap. "Here. You can play it, too."

I smiled. Eric was so nice. "Eric, you really don't have to give me your guitar for just one song."

"I don't have to, but I want to." He sounded just like Jack.

"Come on, Bloom," Mary said. "Let's hear it."

"Oh, all right."

I took the guitar and looked at Jack, who was grinning, excited to hear me sing. I smiled at him, thinking about something he'd said to me a long time ago.

 _"What does it mean?"_

 _"It means that God is trying to get you closer to Him. Sometimes He takes the people that are important to you out of your life so you are reminded to trust Him no matter what. He's going to use you for great things, Bloom. And the people that are no longer in your life won't be able to where you're going next. God would be proud of you for standing up for your faith."_

I started playing and sang a song I had heard on the radio a few days ago.

 **A/N: This song is called _Never Alone_ by BarlowGirl, so it's obviously not mine.**

I waited for you today

But you didn't show

No no no

I needed You today

So where did You go?

You told me to call

Said You'd be there

And though I haven't seen You

Are You still there?

I cried out with no reply

And I can't feel You by my side

So I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here and I'm never alone

And though I cannot see You

And I can't explain why

Such a deep, deep reassurance

You've placed in my life

We cannot separate

'Cause You're part of me

And though You're invisible

I'll trust the unseen

I cried out with no reply

And I can't feel You by my side

So I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here and I'm never alone

We cannot separate

You're part of me

And though You're invisible

I'll trust the unseen

I cried out with no reply

And I can't feel You by my side

So I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here and I'm never alone

An Hour Later...

Jack walked me to my front door.

"I'm glad we did this," I said. "Your family is full of amazing people."

"Yeah, it is." We made it to the front door and I started unlocking it. "Look, Bloom, there's something I need to say to you."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"I'm still in love... with the fact that we are going to get married." He smiled. It looked slightly fake, but he couldn't be faking a smile about that. We loved each other.

I smiled back. "Yeah, me too." I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night."

"Good night."

When I went inside I turned on the living room light and sat down on the couch. I watched the blue diamond on my golden ring sparkle in the light.


	12. Chapter 12

So, after two months of being engaged, Jack and I are finally getting married! A lot of people were going to be there. Jack's family, Mike and Vanessa, the Winx, the Specialists, and several people from our church. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were coming, too. That night at the hospital was just a false alarm.

It felt weird, though. A year ago, I thought that I was going to marry Sky and become Queen of Eraklyon. But I wasn't going to think about that anymore. I was beginning a new chapter in my life. And Sky wasn't going to be a part of it.

As I entered the kitchen that morning, I was greeted by my five best friends who were sitting around the kitchen table. They spent the night here last night in the guest rooms because they were going to help me get ready today.

"There she is," Flora said. "The bride to be! Good morning, Bloom!"

I smiled. "Morning, Winx!"

Stella put a plate in front of an empty chair at the table. "We made you pancakes. Hurry up and eat them so we can get to the church."

"Stella!" the Winx scolded.

"What?" Stella asked. "We have to be there in an hour."

I ate the pancakes as fast as I could, but not fast enough to make myself sick. Being sick would definitely ruin the wedding. Then I took a shower and got dressed. We arrived at the church in the nick of time! As we walked to the room where I was supposed to get ready, the girls made me cover my eyes so Jack and I wouldn't see each other and avoid back luck. To be perfectly honest, I felt a little silly, but I went along with it.

When we got there, I sat down in a chair in front of a vanity while the girls got their hair products and makeup out of the bags they brought.

"Okay, Bloom," Musa said. "Close your eyes and don't open them until we say so."

It took forever, but they finally finished. When I opened my eyes, spots blurred my vision from having them closed for so long. After a moment, they went away and I saw my reflection. I don't mean to brag, but I looked amazing. I had just the right amount of makeup on and the girls did my hair exactly how I wanted it: curled with the two front pieces pinned back with a silver heart shaped clip attached to a long, white veil.

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "I... I love it. Thank you, Winx." I gave each of the girls a hug.

"Now for the best part," Tecna said, handing me a bag containing the dress I had bought just a few days ago. "The dress."

The girls all left the room so I could have some privacy. I put on the long, flowing, beautiful white dress along with a pair of silver heels. When I looked at my reflection, I couldn't help but smile.

I told the girls they could come back in.

"Oh, Bloom!" Layla exclaimed. "You look magnificent!" The rest of the Winx agreed.

I smiled at their compliments. "Thanks, girls."

I was now ready to celebrate my wedding.

Jack's P.O.V.

I finished tying my tie and buttoned up my suit. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and ran a hand through my hair. I got it cut yesterday. It was getting pretty shaggy and it was driving me crazy. So now it's shorter and swept up. I liked it better this way.

Derek put a hand on my shoulder. Just like the last one, he was doing this wedding, even though he had retired shortly after Jo died, which was the reason why I was the preacher today. "It's almost time. Are you ready?"

I sighed. "As I'll ever be."

He smiled. "I'm proud of you, Jack. You've found another woman you can love and share your faith with."

"About that... can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

"Joanna. I still love her. I don't know if I'm ready to let her go."

"That's understandable. It's not like you broke up with her. You were going to marry her. But you watched her die instead. It's hard to move on from that."

"How can I tell Bloom?" I asked Derek.

"Let me ask you something, Jack: is Bloom understanding?"

"Well, yes."

"Is she forgiving?"

"Yes."

"Then you have nothing to worry about. Just tell her and you'll feel much better about it."

I smiled. "Thanks, Derek."

He smiled back. "You're welcome." He checked his watch. "Right then. It's time for you to get married."

Bloom's P.O.V.

After what felt like forever, the ceremony finally began.

I walked over to Mike, who was standing by the set of double doors. He was going to walk me down the aisle.

Mike was shocked when he saw me in my dress. "Oh, Bloom, you look..." He smiled. "...I can't even find a word for it."

I smiled. "Thanks, Dad... I wish the rest of my family could be here."

Mike put a hand on my shoulder. "I know you do. We all do. But remember what Jack told you: God has a plan for you and they can't go where you're going next. This is His plan, Bloom. They're just not part of it."

I gave him a hug. "Thank you... for everything."

"You're welcome."

"I love you, Daddy," I whispered.

"I love you, too, Bloom," he whispered back.

We pulled apart. "And Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for saying yes to walking me down the aisle today. It means a lot."

"It would be my honor to walk my little girl down the aisle." The music started playing in the other room. "Speaking of which, that's our cue."

I took Mike's arm. The doors were opened and we began walking down the aisle. When we reached the end, Mike gave me a kiss on the cheek and handed me off to Jack. Jack and I held hands and faced each other.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Derek said, "family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining of Jack Dawson and Bloom Peters in marriage. With love and commitment, they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife. Do you, Jack Dawson, take Bloom Peters to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?"

Jack smiled at me. "I do."

"And do you, Bloom Peters, take Jack Dawson to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?"

I returned the smile Jack gave me. "I do."

"The rings, please."

Since we didn't have a ring bearer, Mike gave Derek the rings. Derek put Jack's ring in my hand and my ring in Jack's hand.

"Let these rings be a symbol of your love and faithfulness to each other. As you place it on each other's fingers, you commit your heart and soul to each other and ask your husband or wife to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows you have spoken on this day, your wedding day."

Jack and I put the rings on each other's fingers.

"If there is anyone who objects to the marriage between these two people, speak now or forever hold your peace."

No one said anything. Just silence. Sweet silence.

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jack grabbed me and said, "Don't mind if I do." before dipping me.

And then we kissed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, Jack and Bloom Dawson!"

Everyone started clapping and cheering. Jack and I smiled and, arm in arm, we walked back down the aisle. We walked out of the room to a different room in the church so we could be alone for a few minutes. When Jack shut the door, I gave him a big hug.

"We're married!" I said. "We're finally married!"

"Yes we are."

We pulled apart. Neither of us could stop smiling.

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you, Bloom."

We kissed again. Now that we were married, it was so much better.

"Bloom, there's something I should tell you--"

Jack was interrupted when Howard lightly knocked on the door and poked his head inside.

"They're ready for the dance," Howard said.

"We'll be there in a minute," I told Howard He nodded and closed the door. "So, Jack, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

Jack thought for a moment. "You know what? It can wait. Let's go celebrate."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

We walked out of the room and through the doors of the party room. Everyone clapped and cheered as we walked to the center of the room. The lights dimmed and the spotlight was on us.

Jack put his right hand on my waist and held my right hand with his left hand I put my left hand on his right shoulder.

The music started playing and we started dancing.

"You look beautiful, by the way," Jack whispered. "I never really told you."

"Thank you," I whispered. "You look very handsome."

"Why, thank you!" he joked, causing me to laugh.

"I wish this moment could last forever," I admitted.

"Who says it won't? You are my wife now, and I'm your husband. We could do things like this every night for the rest of our lives if we wanted to."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Uh huh."

I put my head on his chest. "I can't believe we didn't get together sooner," I joked, making him laugh. The song then ended.

We kissed one more time and everyone started clapping. Now it was time to cut the cake, which I was ready for. I was getting hungry!

People started gathering around the table where we had the cake. Jack and I got the knife and each put a hand on it. We slowly cut out the first piece of the huge, decorative cake.

Jack picked off a piece of the cake. I did the same. We put the pieces in each other's mouths. Then we started cutting the rest of the cake, minus the top layer to keep for our first anniversary, and handed them to people on plates. After everyone got their cake and food, Jack and I sat down with our families.

"I'm stuffed!" I said after eating. "The cake and food were so good. I can't decide which was better!"

"The cake, of course!" Jack told me. "Which is exactly why I'm going to get more."

As I watched Jack go get another piece of cake, I looked through the window and saw a familiar face outside.

"I'll be right back," I told everyone.

"Where are you going?" Vanessa asked.

"I just have to go take care of something."

I stood up from the table and walked outside without Jack noticing. I quietly closed the door behind me.

"Hello, Sky."

"Hi, Bloom."

"Look, if you came to try and stop the wedding, you're a little too--"

"I'm not."

"Why are you here, then?"

"I came to tell you that I'm married to Diaspro now." He held up his left hand showing his wedding ring.

"Well... good for you, Sky. I wish you the best of happiness."

"Thanks," he said monotonously. "You, too."

After a few moments of silence, he finally decided to leave. And he did. For good.

I looked up at the starry night sky. It was beautiful. A beautiful night for a beautiful event. I smiled.

"Thanks, God. Thank you for the new life."

"Hey," a voice said from behind. I turned around to see my husband. "You okay?"

I walked over to him and put my arms around his neck. I smiled. "Never better."

He smiled. "Yeah. Me too."

We kissed one last time and went inside.

This was the perfect ending to my old life. And the perfect beginning to my new one.

 **THE END**


End file.
